A glute and quad workout for women: leg press, Bulgarian split squat, leg extension, hip adduction and side plank. Day 3 of the 4-day Glutes and Legs Plan for Women.
Common questions about this workout day: structure, substitutions, and progression.
Higher and a little wider on the platform. That lets your hips bend more at the bottom, which shifts work toward your glutes and hamstrings; feet low and close shift it toward your quads.
Whatever the foot position, lower until your knees are near your chest but stop before your lower back peels off the seat. That's where the leg press stops working your legs and starts loading your spine. Push through your whole foot, and don't lock your knees hard at the top.
Both always work. Two changes move the balance toward your glutes:
A short stance and an upright torso put more on the quads. The reps are 10 per leg per set: finish one leg, then switch. Hold on to a rack for balance in the first weeks, then add a dumbbell in each hand. If your front knee hurts, shorten the depth and see a physio if it doesn't settle.
Not on its own. Training a muscle doesn't burn the fat over it; fat comes off across the whole body when you eat a little less than you burn over time.
The machine is in this workout because the adductors are strong hip muscles. The largest one, the adductor magnus, also extends the hip, so it helps you stand up out of a squat or split squat. Use a controlled tempo and a range you can hold without bouncing.